Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-22

ballot boxes were destroyed at Kinks in
stlgation. The witness was as certain
OF 1t as anything he had not positive
knowledge about. Next morning word
came to Brenham that young man
named Ford had been killed while sitting
IN the election room, by negro, who had
nred through a window. A report was
also circulated and, caused great excite
ment, that the negroes had been told to
shoot down any white man seen around
the election place.
DECLARED FALSE.
The witness knew the reports were not
true, because the negroes were afraid to
snoot at white man, and would stand
almost anything before they would do IT,.
Afterward intelligence came that the
man killed was Dewes Bolton. The
witness felt confident that Kirk had
been at Flewellen's. organized Bolton,
Ford and others into Ku-Klux and at
tempted to destroy the ballot box, and
that 1t resulted in the shooting of Bolton.
Bolton was very intimate friend OF
hlrk's, and had but short time before
been in consultation with Kirk. Ford
was another of Kinks friends, and lived
on an adjoining plantation to Bolton.
Inc witness never knew of any effort
pelng made to discover and punish tue
authors OF The outrages.
SAID TO THE MEMORIALISTS.
Kirk and his friends circulated reports
that the memorialists had instructed the
negroes to go to the ballot box armed and
snoot White men who should be found
''monkeying around" the box. Such re-
ports caused a very bitter feeling in the
community. If the colored men who were
arrested and subsequently hanged could
nave been tried upon writs OF habeas
corpus, the witness was confident that
everything would have been disclosed as
to who ritied the ballot boxes. After the
lynching Lewis Bryan told the witness
that IL was Impossible TO keep the bull
dozers OF the leading Republicans any
longer. The men who hung the negroes
were determined men and were organ
lied. The witness said be was unwilling
TO leave unless ne could sell his homestead.
OFFERED HALF ITS VALUE.
Bryan asked It's price. The witness
said $1,000. Bryan went out to try and
sell the place. The next day he said the
most he could get for it was $1,150.
Bryan told the witness men were gather
ing to do himspersonal injury, and advised
him to take the money, sign a convey
ance and get away Immediately. Bryan
also told the witness that Moore (another
memOrlalist) must also leave, and they
the Democrats would arrange to buy
his farm. The witness made campaign
speeches, but made no incendiary
speeches. He had in his speeches charged
that Kirk was responsible for the stealing
of the school fund, and that was tue near
est he ever came to making an incendiary
speech. The witness still believed that
it was to conceal irregularities OF this
nature that Kirk had determined not to go
out of office. Kirk was in the habit OF
going 10 Republican meetings accom-
panied by six or seven armed men. Some
of these men were at that time under in
dlctment for murder. Kirk was accus-
toned to demand division of the time
The colored Democrats once tried 10
break up Republican convention and
afterward they beat Republican negroes
over the head with revolyers. One of the
assailants being convicted and fined, Kirk
maid the fine,